


But she tasered him

by megiax



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AUs, Angst and Fluff and Smut, BAMF Clint Barton, BAMF Darcy Lewis, BAMF Steve Rogers, Darcyland, Deaf Clint Barton, Domestic Avengers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, The Winter Soldier - Freeform, WinterShock - Freeform, fangirl steve rogers, one shots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-27
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-04-06 10:57:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4219125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megiax/pseuds/megiax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky/Darcy one shots</p><p>Eventual smut (will update rating when it occurs)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Teach me to dance, Barnes

"Barnes!" Darcy yelled. "Get in here pronto!" 

He was in front of her before she'd even finished speaking. Goddamn super serum. His apartment had seemed empty when she'd arrived, but JARVIS had confirmed that he was there, so she'd called out for him. If the sound of running water didn't clue her in, then the towel hanging dangerously low on his hips and the water droplets falling from his hair and running down his chest definitely told her that she'd disturbed his shower. There was a very large part of her that couldn't be sorry about it, if this was the view she got. 

"What's the emergency, doll?" He asked, smirking at Darcy's obvious oggling. 

"Teach me to dance, Barnes." 

»»»»»»»»»»

The song that was playing was an old brass band piece. Darcy had no doubt that it was at least seventy years old. She had to admit, it was good. 

Her teacher - Bucky - was fiddling with the blinds in the windows that looked onto the hallway of Stark Towee, making sure no-one would walk past and see them dancing. Or, in Darcy's case, trying to. 

"Who would have guessed that Iron Man had his own dance studio" Darcy laughed. Barnes chuckled and turned around to face her, although didn't give a response. 

"So, first thing's first," Bucky reached out with his metal arm and grabbed her waist. She yelped as he pulled her up close to his chest, and smirked. That smirk should be made illegal, she thought and tried to focus on levelling her breathing. 

"Relax, Darcy." He smiled down at her and took a step back, but kept his hand on her waist and the other one wrapped around her hand, "Just relax and do whatever feels natural." 

Darcy nodded, because frankly there was a lump in her throat and she could form words coherently. Maybe asking the hottest guy in the tower for dancing lessons wasn't her smartest move, but she'd seen Steve on karaoke night and Tony would make her use a pole. Bucky was her last option, really. 

He stepped forward, but Darcy was ready and stepped back. She did it more to avoid her head being smushed against his chest, rather than because she thought it was the right move. 

As they went on, Darcy was able to react to Bucky's movements better; there wasn't a routine they were following, she was simply able to feel the rhythm and learned to predict his next move. 

They didn't talk, except for Bucky making a few comments on her footwork or hand placement, and Darcy warning him to watch it when his hand slid south that time. 

"You're a natural, Darcy" Bucky smiled, and dipped her back. He made no move to lift her back up, and standing didn't cross Darcy's mind once. They looked at each other, and while Darcy was unable to read the stormy look in Bucky's eyes, she knew that her own held a challenge. She wished that she was telepathic. Kiss me. She urged him on in her head, but he didn't close the small gap between them. Neither did Darcy. 

 

He lifted her back up and they both exhaled a breath that they didn't realise they'd been holding. Darcy was about to start dancing again; she was certain they hadn't been there that long, but she glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost seven. They'd been dancing for almost three hours. 

"I'll see you tomorrow, yeah, Barnes? Tony's birthday party." Darcy said as she ran out of the room. She was late for her dinner date with Jane. 

»»»»»»»»»»

Darcy was about to crawl into her bed when someone knocked on her door. It was almost midnight, so she grabbed her taser on the way to answer it. Most of her stuff was at Stark Tower, but her suite was currently home to a toxic bacteria that Tony and Bruce had grown accidentally, so her moving in had been delayed. She didn't mind, because the few extra weeks in her own place meant that it was a few extra weeks away from the crazy. 

No one visited her this late. The only person Darcy could think of was Jane, and she would have walked straight in without knocking. 

Her door didn't have a spy hole, which was something she regretted. If she'd have been able to see who was on the other side of the door, she would not have opened it as fast as she did, and she would not have had her finger on the trigger of her taser. 

"Barnes?" She gasped, lowering her taser and stepping back. He looked shocked -not scared, just shocked- and glanced between Darcy and the street. "Come in." 

"Jesus, doll." He shook his head laughing. 

"Sorry" she apologised meekly and stood her taser back on its charger. It really was the most prized of her possessions. Well, besides her iPod. 

"I, uh, came to apologise" he started to explain, and started shifting his weight from one foot to another, "about earlier. You know, with the, um, dip." 

"Why are you apologising?" Darcy laughed and walked over to stand in front of him, "There's nothing to be sorry for, you did nothing wrong." 

"No, it's what I didn't do, Darce." 

Darcy swallowed hard. There was that look again. The one that was all stormy seas and desire and hesitation and lust all in one. 

"What didn't you do?" 

"This." 

He surged forward and caught her mouth with his, grabbed her waist and pulled her flush against him. Darcy was shocked. She'd imagined - no, dreamed - of kissing Bucky Barnes since Steve had brought him to the Tower. And now she was. He set a brutal pace, one that Darcy was all too happy to replicate. Soon, she was pressed against the wall with her shirt off and Bucky trailing kisses down her neck. 

"Have." Kiss. "To." Kiss. "Go." Kiss. He was breathless, struggling to get words to form in his mouth. 

He pulled away, stopping himself before he took it too far. Darcy pouted, pushing her bottom lip out. He saw it and laughed, but kissed her again and dragged the lip between his teeth. 

"I'll see you tomorrow" he smiled and walked himself to the door, and then left. Darcy was panting against the wall. What just happened? 

She didn't see him again until eight the next night when he turned up on her doorstep in a suit with a bunch of red roses. He'd come to escort her to Tony's party. Darcy had never been planning on staying long, unless Sam challenged her to a drinking game again, but being with Bucky all night led to her leaving earlier than expected. She didn't go home that night. It was the first night she spent in the tower. The first of many. 

(The bacteria continued to live in Darcy's suite. There was no rush to have it removed now that Darcy wasn't in need of her own room. A certain ex Hydra assassin had taken her hostage in his own room.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of this is posted. You can find it in part 9 of the index!:)


	2. Fight Me

"Steve?" Darcy asked, worrying at her bottom lip as she walked towards him. He was at the kitchen counter, pouring milk into a bowl of cereal. Most of the Non-Sciencing Avengers could be found in one of two places at any given time when they weren’t on missions; the kitchen or the training rooms. Darcy was certain that (apart from saving the world, of course) food and fitness were the only things they ever thought of.

"Yeah?" He replied, looking up at her and spooning the cereal into his mouth. He cocked an eyebrow at her, something that a lot people in the tower seemed to be able to do. Since bosslady had married Thor, Jane moved her lab to the tower for multiple reasons; SI funding, Stark’s brain, Thor, and his hammer. Eventually it just made more sense for Jane and Darcy to live in the tower. Darcy had grown closest to Tony and Natasha - out of the Avengers, anyway - but she got on well enough with Steve; he liked her spunk and she liked the fact that he was _the_ Steve Rogers and knew _the_ Peggy-freaking-BAMF-Carter (like seriously, she was a little ticked off that he still hadn’t introduced her!). She hadn't done much in school, but when they'd learned about the Howling Commandos in history, she'd never paid more attention.

The tower was unusually quiet; Pepper had dragged Tony away to her mother's house, saying that this was one family dinner he couldn't miss. Jane's honeymoon had been extended; Thor had rainbow roaded them both out of the Maldives to Asgard when they were supposed to be flying back to New York, so no one was quite sure how long they'd be gone. Bruce pretty much kept to the labs and his room, but the two of them had developed a nice bond ever since she started leaving food packets around the lab so he and Tony remembered to eat. Coulson - alive, well, and the new Fury, apparently - had Clint and Natasha running ragged for the last three weeks and would still have them training new recruits of SHIELD for the foreseeable future. Where the wonder twins were training rookies, Coulson had his team on the Bus finding old agents that had gone into hiding after it got, well, blown up.

She really wasn't sure why she'd decided to ask now. Maybe it was because the usual hype around the tower was significantly quieter, and she'd had more time and space to think. Of course, giving Darcy time to think, plan, and plot was a bad thing.

“Couldyoutrainme?” The words came out so quick that she wasn't sure if he'd actually understood anything she'd said.

"Train you?" He repeated, so she figured he'd got it.

"Yeah," she nodded as he put his cereal bowl down, "I mean, I can throw a mean punch when I need to, and I've kneed my fair share of crotches," Steve snorted and smiled at this, causing Darcy to snort as well, "but something Pepper said to me a while back has been getting to me and I feel like I should know a little more about basic self defense just in case."

"So you want me to teach you how to defend yourself?" He asked. Jesus, what was with the repetition today?

"Your geriatric ears heard right, Cap! Jesus, I thought it was Barton with the hearing issues" She deadpanned and fixed him with a ‘do I need to repeat myself’ look worthy of Fury.

"The one who tasered a demi god wants self defense lessons?"

"Steve, while taking down Thor was amazing and I should probably have a statue of myself erected for doing so, it was pure adrenaline fueled by luck... I don't want to have to rely on Natasha to kick a creep's ass next time he tries to feel me up! I'm more than capable of knocking a guy out, but I’m slower than she is and her awesome ninja reflexes get there first."

Steve studied her for a short while, mulling over her words. "Okay." He said.

"What?" Darcy's eyes blew wide. She hadn't expected him to agree, not really.

"I'll teach you self defence, Darcy."

»»»»»»»»»»

Darcy arrived at Steve's basement at six am on the dot. Despite living in the tower with the rest of them, Steve still kept his basement boxing room in Brooklyn. It was here that he'd been training Darcy for the past month.

They'd barely scratched the surface of what Darcy wanted. Steve had made her build up more muscle and stamina before actually teaching her how to block a punch or dodge a knife. Apparently, she couldn’t wake up one day with abs and know how to flying ninja kick someone. She had to go through what Steve called ‘conditioning’ (“No, Darcy, it has nothing to do with your hair”). Nevertheless, Darcy had been loving it, and everyone else had liked the sense of empowerment she got from it. Jane and Thor were back now, and both had joked that she could be the next Romanoff; both Natasha and Darcy scoffed at that.

Darcy started dragging a punching bag from the pile in the corner to hang it up. She hated mornings like this when she arrived before Steve; it meant she was left to do the heavy lifting.

"We won't be needing that today."

Darcy was about quip that Steve's star spangled ass could take it down then, because she'd worked hard to get it up there, but she stopped herself. It wasn't Steve who spoke.

James Buchanan Barnes, Bucky, The Winter Soldier (that guy had too many names) was walking towards Darcy dressed in a long sleeve sweat top and track pants. Darcy's heart did a little flutter at the sight of him (because ‘holy hell hot bod barnes’ alert) before registering who he was and realising that it was supposed to be Steve walking towards her.

"Where's Cap?" She stood and crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling exposed wearing only a sports bra and leggings in front of a man she'd met once, and had never actually spoken to. And really she'd only met him that one time because Steve introduced them. She'd nodded at him - not quite being able to form words and speak to the man who she’d fantasized about during high school and was now a little bit scared off knowing what she did about his alter ego - and he'd nodded back.

"He flew out to meet Agent May an hour ago. There's a particular agent who is being rather awkward, Coulson thinks Steve could help" Bucky shrugged like it was no big deal and without Darcy even having to say anything, took down the punch bag and threw it to the side.

"Well, thanks for the message" Darcy started to walk out of the room, "I'll see you, Comrade"

Cool metal wrapped around Darcy's wrist and pulled her back.

"And where do you think you're going?" Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking slightly. Darcy had to admit that it looked good on him.

"Home, probably" she looked at him, and realised that what he was wearing is what she'd seen him sparring with Natasha and Steve in when she'd walked past the Stark Tower gym. "Oh no, no, no! No way, Comrade."

"What's the matter, Lewis? Afraid?" His lips quirked into a smug grin, but Darcy just glared at him.

"Of a soldier from the Howling Commandos turned Hydra assassin turned part time Avenger kicking my ass? Hell yes! Goodbye, Barnes."

"Suit yourself, Lewis. You know where to find me if you change your mind!" his laughter followed her a the way out of the basement, and it still rang in her ears for the rest of the day.

»»»»»»»»»»

It had been three weeks since Steve blew her off. He was always busy now; so busy that, he'd come to her to permanently cancel their training sessions.

"Sorry, Darcy" he smiled apologetically and turned to leave, before she grabbed his hand pulled him back.

"What about Barnes?" She asked, not wanting to give up completely. She'd turned him down the first time, because she'd expected Steve to be back and training her again as soon as possible. She’d started to like the way she didn’t get tired going up stairs and kale didn’t taste too bad. (She totally loves kale now).

"What about him?" A look of confusion passed over Steve's face, and his eyebrows knitted together. "You want Bucky to train you?"

"Well he did offer that time you sent him to let me know you got called out" Darcy shrugged like it was no big deal. Steve, however, seemed to think that it was very much a big deal.

"He did?" Steve sounded even more confused, but when Darcy nodded at him, he remembered the first time he'd bailed on Darcy, and it all clicked into place. "That jerk" he said more to himself than Darcy.

Now it was Darcy who looked confused. She looked at him for an explanation as to why he was smiling like he knew some big secret. Well, he was an Avenger working for a not-so-top-secret-anymore agency; he knew lots of big secrets, but still.

"Sure, Darce" he said and nodded at her, still smiling like the freaking Cheshire Cat. _Woah! If Steve was the Chesire Cat, she was almost certain that Natasha and Clint would be Tweedle Dum and Dee! Did that make Tony the Mad Hatter or The Red Queen? (It was no argument that Pepper was the White Queen)._

"Usual place, usual time, tomorrow?" He asked, and left when Darcy nodded.

»»»»»»»»»»

Bucky was already there when Darcy arrived. He was aggressively attacking a punching bag - one of the reinforced, super serum soldier proofed ones that Tony had designed.

"What, did that bag tell a yo mamma joke or something?" Darcy joked and sat down on a mat behind him. She was hoping for a laugh, or even just a quirk of his lips. Nope, all she got was a steely gaze and an eyebrow raise.

"So, you're not afraid any more?" He smiled and sat next to her, taking a deep drink from a water bottle.

"No, I'm still terrified that I'm about to get my ass handed to me everyday, but I had an interesting talk with JARVIS yesterday after Steve left my apartment" she explained and looked at him from the corner of her eye. There were beads of sweat dripping down his brow and hanging from the hair that he'd kept long, but not quite Winter Soldier long. She would never admit out loud that she was insanely glad he hadn’t gone back to his 40s short hair, because damn that man rocks a man bun like no one else. There’d been a Twitter poll a few months back; Thor vs. The Winter Soldier. She had aggressively retweeted #buckysbun for weeks.

"The AI?" Bucky asked. He didn't like the fact that the Tower talked, but he'd grown used to it and actually found it quite entertaining when the voice said something that annoyed Tony.

"The one and only" Darcy clarified with a nod, "So, Steve got all weird with me when I mentioned your last offer of training me, so I asked JARVIS if he knew anything.

Bucky studied her intently, and started to feel like he knew where this was going. He was going to kill Steve and his lack of a decent poker face.

"So, J and I have become pretty close pals, you know, and he didn't hesitate to bring up the footage of the day Cap was called out" She continued, and he stiffened. He knew exactly what she was talking about and that footage definitely did not show Steve asking Bucky to pass on the message to Darcy himself.

"I think you know what I saw next don't you?" She asked, smiling. She was damn well proud of her little detective skills.

He hung his head and tried not to smile shyly. Yes, he knew exactly what she saw.

"I'll describe it to you anyway" she said and he groaned, laid back on the mat and covered his face with his hands, peeking out from between his fingers the way a teenage girl might. Darcy was looking at him, and she was smug (something he found incredibly sexy on her). "So, you and Steve were in the kitchen, talking about old guy stuff, when JARVIS told him to suit up, grab the first quinjet flight and get to Alabama asap. On his way out, Steve asks J to inform me of his departure."

He groans again. Damn Steve. And damn that stupid computer.

"Only, I never got a message from J. Instead, a super soldier came to see me in person, because he asked JARVIS to cancel the message he was about to send, so he could do it himself." There was still the smug grin on her red painted lips, but also a warm, adoring look in her eyes.

"Well, doll, you're a regular Sherlock Holmes." He said, still with his hands covering his face, because he was sure that face was more red than Tony's suit. She sat next to him on the mat, pulling her legs crossed and facing his body.

"You know what the best part is?" She asked and leant over him to wrap her hands around his wrists and pulling them away from his face. She was practically draped over him; their chests pressed together, their faces only inches apart and her hair falling like a curtain around them.

"What's that?" He asked, looking her in the eye for the first time since she'd arrived. That one look reminded him of why he went to see her that first time; her wordless beauty and the snarky remarks he'd seen her make to the others in the tower. The way she always made sure the science people showered, ate and slept regularly. How she was able to have normal, girly nights with Natasha, and even braided the assassin's hair. The way she could verbally spar with Tony, could keep up with Clint's pranks, and didn't flinch away from his metal arm the few times they'd spoke.

"The best part is, that I'm glad you did" she said and brought her lips down onto his, thinking about all the small things she'd seen him do around the tower; cook everyone breakfast, smile at Clint's awful jokes and just be one of them. He fit perfectly, and when she'd been able to catch him in one of his more vulnerable moments, he'd been more than just the Winter Soldier.

She pulled away and looked at him, smiling as wide as him. It was the biggest smile she’d seen on him since Steve had first introduced them.

"So, gonna teach me to fight or what?"  
 


	3. The Tumblr room argument

 

"Darcy, we are _not_ having our bed shoved against the wall because it will make the room look like a Tumblr room!" Bucky exhaled with an _‘I’m so done with this shit’_ look on his face as he pinched the bridge of his nose, standing firm between the bed and the wall. He wasn't sure what good it would do because he wouldn't put it past Darcy to simply ram his legs with the bed frame and push him into the wall until he moved.

"But we can have a fairy light corner and little pictures on the wall and _it would look so awesome_!" It was the same argument she'd been using since they'd managed to assemble to wood farm bed.

"How about we still have those things, but around a small sofa? Or just above the bed while it's _in the middle of the goddamn wall."_

"Why don't you want this?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips and looking at him. Her bottom lip was pushed out a little bit, making it hard for him to focus on _where_ the bed would go, and more what would happen _on_ it.

"Do you realise that it's only accessible from one side if we have it in the corner?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and she nodded. "So, that would make it pretty difficult for one of us to get into bed if the other was already in." He wasn't going to explain that, if they were attacked, he'd be able to roll her off and behind the bed, away from the attackers if, _and only if_ , the bed was in the center of the wall and _not in the corner_.

"And why would you be trying to get into bed without me? Hmm?" She smiled teasingly and looked like she was about to push the bed frame. He bent his knees in preparation, just in case he had to jump out of the way.

"You could have been working late and get in after me. I could be working late and get in after you," he started, but she still stared him down, "You have girl's nights with Jane and you don't get in until late, and I have nights with Steve where I don't get in until late" he shrugged.

"I'd like to point out that the last time you had an actual, proper guy's night was back in the forties. And the times in _this_ century when you've gone out, there's always been me or Natasha or both with you, so those don't count."

"Well what about Bachelor Parties?" He asked and looked out the window to the streets of Brooklyn. He'd been elated when Darcy agreed to an apartment in his old neighbourhood.

"What about them?" Darcy looked at him strangely, the way she did when Jane tried explaining something sciencey and she didn’t understand. Tony poked fun at the way her face scrunched up, and she got the three little wrinkled in her forehead, but Bucky found it absolutely adorable. His favourite thing to do when she looked like that was kiss the wrinkles away. As far as she knew, no one either of them knew had just gotten engaged, and he didn't see any of them doing so in the near future.

"Well, they're bound to happen at some point and you and Natasha will not be there, so, I'd like to think that I'd be crawling into bed after you. Plus, we both know that you prefer the left side, so I'd have to climb over you and that’d just be inconvenient for both of us."

"Why are you considering bachelor parties?" She studied him the way Natasha did when she was trying to figure something out. It made him feel as if he'd just grown three heads and a tail. She turned around and started looking at fabric swatches for their throw pillows, obviously putting the bed argument on hold.

"Well, if the next part of today goes to plan, I'll be needing one." By the time she turned around he was out from behind the bed, on one knee, surrounded by cardboard boxes and screwed up instructions. In his hand was a ring; the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen. She wondered if Thor had anything to do with it, because it seemed to _literally_ glow.

"I had a speech. There was this great proclamation but now it all seems irrelevant. All that matters is that I love you, Darcy, and if you'll have me, I'll love you until you're old and grey and I'm ancient and grey right next to you."

Tears threatened to spill from both of their eyes with his next words.

"Will you marry me?"

" _Yes_!"


	4. I brought Coco Pops?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU - soulmates

There were times where Darcy questioned her decision to go to New Mexico and, consequently, every decision made after - this was _most definitely_ one of those times. Sure, going to New Mexico meant that she met Thor and Thor was great! But thor had baggage, in the form of a crazy brother/not brother, alien friends, and goddamn superheroes.

Goddamn superheroes who were stood on her doorstep.

"You are so lucky that Jane is off-world" She grumbled and reluctantly let three of the Avengers - ( _were they still the Avengers after whatever the hell went down in Europe with Tony's robot baby_?) - into her living room.

"Well, you're the only person we know who lives in London" Steve shrugged like it was no big deal. _Oh, it was so a big deal._

"So what?" She asked and slapped Clint's feet off her coffee table, "You're using my apartment as a base of operations now?"

"It should only be for a few days, Darcy" the third and final home-crasher was Natasha. _Well_ , Darcy thought, _at least I’ll have some female companionship._

"Since I can’t really make you leave considering the guns, arrows, shields and,you know, the physical strength I simply don’t have, mind telling me _why_ you're here?" She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at them. Steve looked like a goldfish; he was opening and closing his mouth like he was about to talk, but no words came out of his mouth. The other two just looked at the Captain, waiting for Steve to explain.

"We think we've found Bucky" he explained and started fiddle with the zipper of his jacket. 

"Holy _Shit_ " she said and sat down next to Clint on her sofa, while Natasha leaned on the windowsill and Steve stood brooding in the doorway. She hadn't exactly been happy that a trio of heroes were wanting to crash at her place, but she was never planning on turning them away. Finding out that they were after Bucky made it a lot different. "Well, like I said, Jane's in Asgard, so her room's free and there's always the floor and the couch. Spare sheets and blankets are in the bathroom cupboard. Fight over Jane's bed between yourselves"

»»»»»

"A few days my ass" Darcy hissed to herself over an empty box of cereal; an empty box that Clint had finished and not replaced.

"Natasha, I'm running to the shop!" Darcy called and grabbed her keys before walking out the door. She didn't care that she was in a pair of spongebob pj bottoms.

Two weeks. Clint, Steve and Natasha had been at hers for two weeks, and Darcy was starting to crave her space again. Steve was constantly looking like a sad puppydog and staring out the window. Clint kept switching the sugar and salt around, and would often leave arrow tips lying around which, uhm, _hurt_ when you stepped on them goddammit. _Lego got nothin’ on them_. Natasha wasn't so bad - she at least respected Darcy's home and gave a few good night's of girl time - but Darcy drew the line when her shampoo was emptied, forcing her to hide it..

(Darcy would later discover that it hadn't actually been Natasha that used all her hair product. It was Clint.)

Darcy often felt saddened as she walked the streets of London during summer. The small shop was only around the corner, but it was far enough for her to walk past eight couples who had their words showing; their golden words showing. Summer was the worst for it; everyone wore t-shirts and shorts. At least during winter everyone outside was wrapped in fifty two layers of wool.

Darcy's words were on her arm, a thick black scrawl that ran from her elbow up to her shoulder. She'd long ago memorized the words. And she'd long ago accepted that they'd never turn gold like everyone else's.

 _'I'm trying hard not to shoot you right now'_.

The first words her soulmate would ever say to her could possibly be the last ones she'd hear. If that wasn't a scary thought, she didn't know what was. _Can we say ‘daunting’?_

She knew that all three Avenger's in her home had golden words. She'd caught a glimpse of golden scribbles on Natasha's lower back a few days ago, and Clint's were on his wrist. Both were practically constantly covered up, and therefore, unreadable. Steve's wrapped around his ankle, and although he didn't make an effort to hide them, Darcy had always thought that they were too personal to read. Especially considering that it was public knowledge that his soulmate was Peggy Carter.

She bought the cereal and a few other items she knew that were missing from her cupboards thanks to the Avengers lodging at her place ( _how is this my life_?), and took the short walk back.

Her apartment door was half open when she got back, shopping bag in hand and cursing herself for leaving her taser charging in her room. _Good going Lewis, really useful_. She figured she'd be safe with a trio of heroes in her living room, but apparently not.

Every nerve in her body was telling her get the hell out of there and use the emergency number Coulson had given her; she'd memorised it, of course.

But there was also a massive part of her wanting to know what was going on in her apartment. She'd stayed in England after Thor disaster number 2. She was calling the battle of New York 1.5 because she hadn't been there, it wasn't only Thor there to save the day, but Loki was still being a little...

A loud, European curse word came from her home _That was NOT Natasha_. Without thinking, she stepped quickly through her door to see who the hell was in her home now.

The first thing that shocked her wasn't the gun pointed at her head, or the fact that it the Winter Soldier doing all the pointing. No, it was that Sam Wilson was there, wearing her fluffy pink robe. _When did he get here…. and in my robe???_

"I'm trying really hard not to shoot you right now, Doll" The Winter Soldier said through gritted teeth, and Darcy's heart either started beating a mile a minute, or stopped completely. _Well that’s a development. Breathe Lewis. Breathe._

" _Bucky, it's okay_ " Steve was saying from behind him, hesitant to touch him but the need to hug his best friend clear on his face.

Darcy was still trying to process the fact that _Bucky Freaking Barnes_ had just said her words, and that she could feel the slight itch on her skin. She knew the words were turning gold.

"You better give me a damn good reason not to pull this trigger."

She could see the tension in his jaw, the curiosity in his eyes, and the safety of his gun _on_.

Even without that one small detail that confirmed that he wouldn't hurt her, because from what Steve had said, the Winter Soldier was becoming less like a weapon and more like a man the more he watched, she knew that he wouldn't shoot. As soon as he heard what she would have to say, he'd drop the gun.

"I brought cocoa pops?"

Something dawned in his eyes and his raised arm was lowered. Steve, Sam, Natasha and Clint all looked confused. Then realisation dawned on Steve as he glanced towards Bucky, who had his metal hand wrapped around his wrist. He was feeling the itch as it turned gold, too.

Darcy wished that the first words to her soul mate had been more witty, or romantic.  She wished that they at least didn't contain chocolate cereal. _Really, ‘I brought cocoa pops?’ He had to walk around with that for a lifetime?_ After seeing her messy scrawl on Bucky's wrist, golden and glowing, she took all her wishes back. This was supposed to be. Fate had marked him like that, so he could find her. And he did; he found her. **  
**


	5. I brought Coco Pops? #2

"We'll...give you two some space to talk," Clint said and itched towards the window, pulling at his collar. They must have all worked out that Darcy was Bucky's soul mate, because everyone looked a mix of shock and horror. Darcy still hadn't taken her eyes off the Winter Soldier -no,  Bucky \- but she saw him from the corner of her eye.

"Barton, you are not escaping through my window, I have neighbours!" She still didn't look away from Bucky, but he smiled while she scolded the archer. 

"Noted" he nodded and started back down, like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. 

"Bucky? You want us to leave?" Steve asked, this time setting his hand on the shoulder of the assassin. Darcy could tell that it would be a bad move. 

Bucky whirled around, grabbing Steve's wrist and pushing him face first against the wall, with his arm twisted behind his back. 

Three guns and an arrow were pointed at Bucky almost immediately, because of course Natasha would use two at a time. 

"Guys, chill  out !" Darcy yelled and stepped between Bucky and the others.  

"Darcy,  no " Sam said through gritted teeth, but lowered his gun slightly. She did want to know why he was in her robe, and where the hell he was hiding a gun in it.  Priorities, Darcy. Focus on making sure your soul mate doesn't get shot and then you can deal with Sam I-steal-pink-robes Wilson. 

Heavy pants were coming from behind her, letting her know that Bucky had released Steve (who was now gasping for air). His real hand reached out for Darcy's, and their fingers barely brushed, but it sent a jolt of electricity up her arm and straight into her heart. She grabbed onto his hand and  held on. 

"Shoot him, and you shoot me." Darcy knew that they could very well shoot Bucky without hitting her, because  they were superheroes, goddamnit, superheroes have good aim.

Sam and Clint lowered their weapons and looked at Natasha expectantly. She looked conflicted. Eventually, she lowered both guns, but kept a hold of them, and everyone released a collective breath. 

Darcy coughed; the only sound was the dripping tap in her kitchen. The irrationalpart of her (and she was shocked about how large that part was) wished (not for the first time) for music to spontaneously start playing at appropriate times in her life. She wanted the sound of crickets chirping now.

"James?" Darcy asked. She thought it would be smarter than calling him Bucky, "You want them to leave?" 

He only nodded. 

"Guys? Give us a minute?"  Darcy looked at each one of them. Natasha was glaring at James with her scowl that Darcy had only ever seen once; when she found out the truth about Phil Coulson. Sam looked weirdly happy, but obviously cautious, and was the first to nod and leave the room. Clint followed not long after. 

Steve was pained. That was the only way to describe it. Ninety years of loss were painted on his face for Darcy, Natasha and James to see. She'd never thought he looked his age, but in that moment his eyes were ancient. 

"Steve, please" Natasha glanced down at the knives Bucky had, and Steve looked at his arm, "I'll be fine." 

Natasha spoke in Russian and left the room, but not before pressing a gun (safety off) into Darcy's hand and warning her not to hesitate. Steve followed, looking like a kicked puppy. 

With everyone out of her apartment except her and Bucky, she let and a sigh. That sigh turned into a sob, and soon, she was on her knees, crying into her hands. 

"Don't cry, doll" Bucky said from behind. He'd moved to the floor himself, and was sat next to her with his arm over her shoulders. 

"All my life, I've been expecting to die as soon as I found you. Every day I try not to talk to new people  just in cas e" she sobbed into his shoulder. 

"I would never hurt you intentionally" Darcy thought he growled, and she smiled. She could have done a lot worse than a world war two veteran, who was also a Howling Commando, who was also the best friend of Steve Rogers, who died, who didn't die, who had a super technical prosthetic arm, who was a brainwashed minion of HYDRA, who was holding her while she cried. Yeah, there were a lot worse people than James Buchanan Barnes. 

"I know" she said and looked at him through watery eyes. 

As if to prove her point, she took Natasha's gun and turned the safety to  on , and then placed it carefully into her cutlery draw ( which was practically empty because apparently SHIELD doesn't teach people how to use a dishwasher).

"Care to translate Nat's Soviet mumbles?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I'm assuming you can translate, I heard a few mumbles about the red room and Russia in the few weeks they've been here." 

"I can." He nodded and stood, glancing towards the door before coming to lean against the breakfast bar next to her. "She said ' Yesli vy yey bol'no , ya ub'yu tebya. Chto HYDRA sdelal vy budete vyglyadet' kak prazdnik'. It translates to 'If you hurt her, I will kill you. What HYDRA did to you will look like a holiday.'” The corners of his mouth pulled up slightly as he shrugged. “She likes threats." 

"You know, she would kill you if anything happened to me" Darcy couldn't help but let a small smile grow on her face. Natasha was a good friend, even if her methods of showing it were a little unorthodox. 

"I know she would, which is why I'm leaving" he pushed away and made his way to her window. Again, her irrational side piped up;  what is it with these guys and leaving through windows? 

"No, you don't get to leave." 

He turned around and looked at her. It was the same position she'd seen him hold on tv during the incident in D.C.; his head turned, looking at her over his shoulder with his hair hanging in front of his eyes. 

"I've spent twenty six years thinking that as soon as I meet my soul mate I'll die. Not half an hour ago, you proved that wrong. Look, I don't care about your past with HYDRA. I don't care what you think you could do to me, because  I know you won't do it. " Darcy walked over and placed her hands on either side of his face. "The fact is, fate seems to think that we belong together, and I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. The universe give people someone who is theirs. Whatever issues you face, we face them  together . James Barnes, you are  mine . You are not leaving." 

"I never actually got your name, doll" he smirked and rested his forehead on hers. She sighed with relief and pressed her lips to his. 

"Darcy Lewis, nice to meet you." 

"It's my pleasure, Miss Lewis" James smiled and kissed her again. 

"There is one thing I want to know" Darcy said and pulled away, leaving James with a slight pout. "How did you end up in my apartment?" 

James told her everything that happened since D.C.. He'd been laying low, and gathering whatever information on James Buchanan Barnes that he could. Slowly, his memories came back, and while there were still a few gaps, he could remember most of his life. He'd gotten word of one of his old HYDRA handlers hiding out in London. He'd tracked him down, but Steve had followed. So while Steve, Natasha and Clint were doing their thing in Darcy's living room, Sam was flying all over London (she didn't know how she missed  that ) following James. He came to check in with Steve while Darcy was out, and The Winter Soldier followed. 

"Wow." Darcy said. There really weren't any other words. "So, the robe?" 

"That, I don't know about" he chuckled and kissed her again, pulling her body flush against his. 

"I'll ask him later," she said between kisses, "I'm a little preoccupied at the moment." 

** When Natasha decided that enough time had passed, she kicked the door down to find an empty apartment. Well, an empty living room, kitchen and bathroom. Jane's room was empty, too. There was only Darcy's bedroom that was occupied, and even four of Earth's Mightiest Heroes weren't brave enough to risk opening  that door.    
**


	6. The Captain's Ship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve aggressively shipping Bucky and Darcy.

It started when Steve would coincidently have to leave whenever Bucky was getting his arm checked. At first neither of them noticed. Steve and Bucky would arrive at Tony's lab at their usual time, spend some time chatting while Tony worked on the limb, and then Steve would leave. 

Bucky probably wouldn't have worked it out if he didn't leave just as Darcy entered the room. 

Then, at Stark Industries events like charity galas and award evenings, Jane would catch Steve switch out the name cards. He moved Darcy from Jane and Thor's table, to sit between Bucky and Natasha. Jane didn't say anything to Steve, but mentioned it to Darcy. All the astrophysicist got in return was a shrug and 'I don't know, Cap is friends with Thor'. 

And yes, Steve was friends with Thor, but the Asguardian wasn't Steve's best friend, Bucky was. So why was Steve seemingly avoiding Bucky? Jane had to find out. 

The final clue as to why Steve was acting so odd anytime Darcy was in the room was revealed on movie night. Darcy was glancing around for a seat so Steve offered his up.  Of course it would be right next to Bucky, and of course Steve would then squish onto the sofa further down, so that Darcy was either ambushed up uncomfortably against Bucky, or practically sitting on him. 

It shouldn't have taken three scientists, two spys and an Asguardian six months to work out that Steve was trying to set Bucky and Darcy up, but it did. Jane was the first to figure it out. 

"Oh" Jane gasped, and hastily whispered her realisation to Thor, who passed it on to Clint. Natasha clicked at the same time, and told Bruce and Tony. 

That night, everyone left strangely early with the lamest excuses ever. 

"I have a meeting Pepper in the morning." 

"Gotta sharpen some arrow heads."

"He gets grouchy when he's tired." 

"My telescopes need calibrating."

"I train at four am every morning."

"I am tired from my trip to Asguard."

There was just Bucky, Darcy and Steve left. Well, only Bucky and Steve left conscious. Darcy had fallen asleep with her head tucked against Bucky's shoulder, and he was rubbing patterns into her arm absentmindedly. 

Steve kept looking torn between leaving and watching them longer. They're just so cute, he thought. 

"Steve, you're really not subtle" Bucky smiled and stood. Darcy moaned in her sleep at the loss of contact, but sighed in content when he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up bridal style. She still slept. 

"You knew?" Steve's eyes widened and he turned red. 

"Of course I knew, punk" he chuckled and started making his way to the elevator. 

"I'm not going to apologise" Steve mumbled, and glanced over to his friend. Seeing Bucky holding Darcy like that, his heart swelled. "There's all this sexual tension sometimes it's hard to breath around you, and you're so comfortable around her and oh my god Bucky just ask her out!" 

"I plan to" Bucky winked and stepped into the elevator, just as Darcy woke. The doors remained open, and Bucky set Darcy on her own feet. 

"How much of that did you hear, doll?" Bucky asked and scratched the back of his neck, suddenly embarrassed. 

"All of it" she smiled and stepped towards him, taking his hand in hers. 

"You two are killing me!" They heard Steve yell. Darcy laughed and looked up at Bucky. Well, Steve was right about the sexual tension thing; she was sure his gaze would burn every fibre of clothing right off her. 

"Well, you know what they say" Darcy called back and smirked at Bucky, "The Captain goes down with his ship!" 

Darcy pulled Bucky's lips to hers and kissed him. She knew Steve could see them, so the the girlish scream was expected. It only urged the two on more. The elevate doors finally closed, taking them to Steve and Bucky's floor. 

Steve didn't go home for a week. 

Neither did Darcy.


	7. A Weekend Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE 16/08/15: Newly beta'd, mistakes have been corrected 
> 
> *Also a little more depth has been added to Darcy's feelings about Bucky, so I recommend a re-read*

Darcy Lewis liked to keep lists. She had about eight different apps on her phone that she used to organize all of her different types of lists. One app was fully dedicated to her list of reasons she hates SHIELD.

1\. Jack booted thugs are yet to return her iPod (it doesn't matter if Tony replaced it with a totally awesome Stark-Player, she wants it back!) 

2\. She still has a wicked scar on her thigh from the time Bruce made a slight miscalculation and his experiment sent her hurtling through the window of Stark's penthouse and free falling at least twenty five stories before she was caught by Iron Man. (SHIELD is responsible for that because it was Fury who sent her up there in the first place. Those files could have been dropped off at another time, but of course he wanted them there at the exact time Bruce misread his '7' as a '1'.) 

3\. She totally blames SHIELD/The Avengers for her temporary loss of hearing last year during Thor's universe-wide temper tantrum. Damn, that God can shout. 

4\. Coulson was wholly responsible for her becoming a glorified babysitter. 

She grunted and closed her app down. She'd have to add number five later. She already knew what she'd write. SHIELD don't care that I’m a young woman who has a life outside of this tower and needs to consider the fact that I haven't gotten laid since I took this job. 

"Darcy, have you seen my shield?" Steve walked into the kitchen area and started opening cupboards, looking for the frisbee in question. He even checked the fridge. 

"Not since Italy, Cap" she smiled and hopped off the stool she was occupying, grabbing her laptop and pile of files waiting to be signed off. "I'll help you look once I've dropped these off at legal." 

"Thanks, Darce!" He called after her, but she was already in the elevator. 

She started humming a tune she couldn't name, but she definitely knew it from somewhere. She was about to ask JARVIS for a little help in identifying it, when she noticed him stood in the corner, watching her with mild amusement. 

"It's rude to stare" she said, smiling at him nonetheless. He'd been away for three weeks on some super secret mission from Fury. Other times when he’d been away on long missions (like the Atlanta one that went from two days in a hotel room to six weeks shaking a tail), he’d come back looking rough and worse for wear. This time, coming back from Shanghai, he looked fresh and clean and had found time to shave before coming to see her. She was glad that he’d at least taken care of himself before doing anything else; last time he’d walked into her apartment still in his tac gear with three day stubble and blood on his face. She’d spent the evening cleaning him up and putting him to bed, then her night was filled with holding him through his night terrors, brushing wet hair from his sweat slick forehead and whispering promises that everything will be all right. They didn’t speak about that night, but she had to admit that after that things had been different between them. He looked at her more intensely, held her tighter, and found any excuse to touch her. She liked it. 

"Well, where's my welcome back hug?" 

"Right here" Darcy opened her arms and he stepped into them, wrapping his own around her. 

"Where're you heading?" He asked and stepped away, but kept an arm over her shoulders. Darcy loved that he didn't flinch away her touch anymore. The first few months of their friendship were hard; she was a cuddly person and he was cautious of any sudden movements. Eventually he grew used to her, and stopped being scared of her touch. Now, he would even seek out her body, and crave human to human contact. 

"Legal" she sighed and lifted the files for him to see, "Pepper has me running ragged. I haven't had a day off in two weeks."

"Well, you do now" He said and took the files from her. 

"I can't just leave work." 

"Already cleared it with Pepper. Drop these off and you're done for the weekend." He wore his shit eating grin; the one Darcy both loved and loathed. 

"You got me the day off?" Her eyes widened with joy, and she flung herself at him, enveloping him in another hug. 

"Well, technically I got you the weekend off" he laughed and hugged her back, smiling at her gratitude towards him and the way her clothes smelled of vanilla and coffee, while her hair was apple from her shampoo. 

"What's the catch?" She pulled away and regarding him suspiciously. The elevator doors opened onto the floor holding the legal offices, and Darcy stepped out to drop off the files. 

"You have to spend it with me" he smirked and followed her to an office, where she dropped off the files, and then followed her back into the elevator. She pressed the button for one of the residential floors - the one her apartment was located on. 

"You got me the weekend off so I can beat you at Mario Kart and eat cold pizza for breakfast?" 

"Well, I guess we could take the Xbox with us, but I'm not sure if where we’re going will accept a Domino's delivery" he winked at her and stepped into the corridor, then took the keycard to her apartment from her. She didn't question the 'where we’re going' part; just followed him to her door. 

Being a personal friend of Thor's, as well as the assistant to Tony's girlfriend, Darcy landed herself with a pretty awesome suite. It was bigger than all the others on her floor; they were all one bedroom, with a small bathroom and a combined kitchen/living space. You could probably fit three of the regular apartments into Darcy's. 

Bucky opened her door and sat down on her white leather sofa. "You have half an hour to change and pack, then we're commandeering the Stark jet and I'm taking you away." 

"We're going away for my weekend off?" She asked and walked to her room, shrugging off her jacket and shoes as she walked, "Mind telling me where?" 

"Nope, it's a surprise!" 

He heard Darcy groan and jump in the shower. He started flicking through a magazine she'd left on her glass coffee table. Darcy hadn't bothered to decorate it herself after moving in; she kept the furniture and colour schemes that Pepper had chosen for the apartment ("I can't deface the work of Pepper BAMF Potts!"). 

And it was very clearly all Pepper; white leather and chrome throughout, with some blue and grey ornaments, throw pillows and picture frames. The only thing Darcy had really changed was her bedroom. She'd painted over the white walls with a deep red, and replaced the cream sheets with deep reds and purples - all in expensive silk courtesy of Tony. On her walls, her dresser and her wardrobe doors were photos of her, Erik and Jane in New Mexico; of Thor gorging himself in restaurants; of Clint covered head to toe in feathers after a prank;of her and Natasha having girl's nights; of her and the Avengers in fancy dress on Steve's birthday. 

Tacked around her mirror were various things. He'd seen her room before , but he'd never paid much attention to the things stuck around her mirror (he also admits to the annoying voice in his head that he’d only come in just now to snoop). There were the things he expected; tickets to baseball games, movies and concerts, but then there was the selfies she'd printed. Her with all her friends. Steve, Jane, Thor, Barton, Natasha, Tony, Bruce. She'd even gotten one with Coulson and Fury (Fury was asleep but it counted). 

And there was one of him. 

It was from Steve's birthday a few months back. Tony insisted on celebrating Cap's 100th. Even if Steve protested with cries of "I'm only 33!" and "We didn't celebrate Bucky's centennial!" 

Darcy made everyone dress up. She swears she didn't set a theme, but everyone turned up in 40's style clothes, much to Steve's chagrin. ("I'm 33, get over it" he grumbled to Bucky, downing his drink. "And I'm 101, you get over it" he shot back and went to find someone to dance with). 

It had been a good night. Darcy had worn a red polka dot dress, painted her lips with red lipstick and pinned flower to the side of her head. Bucky wore his old uniform; apparently Howard had stored all his things after the fall. 

She'd attacked him at the end of the night with her phone. "I need one photo of us to show my cousin, please! She's engaged and keeps showing me up at family events!" 

Darcy smiled into the camera of her phone and waited for him to get in the shot. She'd expected him to stand there, and smile if she was lucky. No. He took the phone away from her and pressed his lips to her cheek, taking the photo as he did. Then he got Darcy to kiss him on the cheek, and they took another photo together, Darcy pointing smugly to the lipstick stain on his face. 

He hadn't seen the photos since, but he'd heard they'd done well to anger her perfect cousin. 

The one on her mirror was of him kissing her. She'd made it black and white. They looked just like couples did before he 'died'. It made his heart swell. Why would anyone want me on their mirror? He thought to himself before remembering that this was Darcy he was talking about. She was a connoisseur of misfits and broken people, it only made sense that for whatever reason, she took a liking to him. He can’t say that he minded; her too-big heart was one the many, many reasons he’d fallen a little in love with her.

Without knowing why, he grabbed the photo of them and tucked into the inside pocket of his leather jacket. 

The water stopped running and he realised that he'd be caught in her room with no real explanation as to why; so, he grabbed the duffle bag she'd left on her bed and shoved a few nice dresses into it from her open (and very messy) wardrobe. 

He grabbed some jeans, t-shirts and jumpers from her drawers and closet and shoved them into her bag too. He was tempted to do her underwear, too, but decided she wouldn't appreciate it much.

"Whoa, Buckaroo!" She cried as she walked out the bathroom in nothing but a towel (his brain, as well as other parts of his body, needed to calm the hell down at this), "What'd'ya think you're doing?" 

"Packing" He said, probably too quickly. It was true, of course, but he was still unsure as to why he'd gone into her room in the first place. "You take too long, I've packed you plenty of clothes, you just need to get dressed and pack your underwear, shoes and um, any lady things you might need."

He nodded and left. Well done, Buck! Now she thinks that you’re worse with women than Steve. Oh well, it should keep her from asking too many questions.

They got to Stark's jet at about 5 pm. If there were no issues with landing where he planned, they should get to their destination at 5 am local time. It gave them the whole day Saturday to enjoy Paris, and Pepper said not to worry about what time Darcy got back on Monday; she had that off, too. 

A weekend away with a girl he maybe sort of (definitely does, he's lying to himself) likes in Paris.  
What could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THERE WILL A PART TWO 
> 
> POSSIBLY A THREE
> 
> So...this is likely to turn to smut. If you're really against that happening, let me know, I don't mind keeping it 100% fluffy. BUT IF YOU WANT SMUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!


	8. Teach me to dance, Barnes #2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, this has been a long time coming. 
> 
> Part two to the very first chapter of this collection, Teach me to dance, Barnes. 
> 
> The first part was around 1,200 words. This part is just under 3,000. I was going to split it up, but I couldn't find a decent place to stop. 
> 
> Also I've used one of my favourite villains, Attuma, in this because I loved him in the animated TV show that Disney XD do!:') I'm like a five year old, sue me.
> 
> Warnings: light smut, I guess? And there are some curse words. 
> 
> [Possible part 3? Idk yet, don't hold me to this;)]

Three days ago, Darcy Lewis was living in a one bedroom apartment in Queens and had to take the subway to get to work every day. Three days ago, Darcy Lewis was wearing a strapless red bandage dress as she was escorted by James Barnes to the birthday party of Tony Stark. 

Three days later, she did the walk of shame to her new apartment in the Avenger's Tower wearing the same dress. 

Tony had assured her that the bacteria would do her no harm, as long as she didn't ingest it, but come on, who in their right mind would have luminous yellow moss for breakfast? He'd also said that since she was 'shacking up with the Russian', (Stark's words, not hers), there was no rush to have it removed; it was contained to the kitchen area, after all. (Bruce had assured her that he'd have it removed by the end of the week, and to ignore Tony's crass comments about Bucky's metal arm.)

Darcy was just relieved to be out of her dump in Queens and into somewhere which had hot water. Hot water that she very much enjoyed testing with Bucky, even if her thoughts weren't exactly on getting clean. But now she could focus on freshening up, as Pepper had slipped her the key card for her suite the night of Tony's party; bacteria or not, Pepper was efficient. 

She let herself in and smiled. Yellow 'caution' tape crossed the doorway that led to the kitchen, but apart from that the suite was clean and tidy and very Pepper Potts; White leather, glass and chrome furniture, with little colour besides blues and greys. Darcy smiled, despite it being brighter than Cloud 9 and the total lack of life, it was hers and she could do whatever she wanted with it; on Tony's dime, of course. 

Her suitcase and boxes were piled in a corner in the living room, next to a glass side table. Darcy grabbed her suitcase and dragged it into her room. There were two in her suite, but she knew that the one she was headed towards was the larger and had an ensuite, (partly from spending time with Jane in her and Thor's, and partly from never leaving Bucky's). All the suites (except Tony and Pepper's, of course)in the tower were the same layout, although many of the residents suspected that Tony had built Natasha a secret room behind her kitchen counters, purely out of fear of what she would have done to him if he hadn't. 

She put away her clothes as quick as possible, filling the wardrobe and chest of drawers, before stripping and taking a shower. As enjoyable as the showers with Bucky had been, her hair needed washing properly. She'd been able to sneak out of his place when there'd been a call for a mission briefing. He'd practically held her hostage since Tony's birthday. Every time she found a reason to leave, he found a way to make her stay. Her reasons were normally along the lines of Science! and clean clothes, where his disttactive ways were usually orgasms or pancakes; valid and effective. 

She scrubbed away the lingering smell of alcohol and sex, wincing slightly when her fingers brushed against small bruises made in the midst of passion. She smiled at the memories; Bucky taking her against his door, almost as soon as they'd got inside his suite, on the kitchen table, the couch, and when they finally tumbled into his bed as the sun rose. Then it had been the shower, the couch again, and at some point the bathroom floor. Darcy was sure that they'd tested the structural integrity of every surface in his place, twice. 

It wasn't just sex. They'd talked, they'd laughed, they'd danced some more. She'd worn nothing but his shirt for three days while they spoke about what he remembered of pre-world war two/post-world war one Brooklyn and her over protective brother and hippie sister. He told her stories of Steve before the serum and she shared what actually happened with her and Jane before they moved to New York. Apparently the S.H.I.E.L.D reports had missed out vital information (like Sif and the Warriors Three joining them for Asgardian-spiked-tequila shots and Darcy tazing Ian to unconsciousness when they found out he was a mole, before Thor dropped him at Coulson's doorstep). 

It was common knowledge that Darcy had a bit of crush on Bucky. Actually, it was a well known fact. So well known that the rest of their friends had placed bets on when their first date would be. Darcy saw, and she's sure Bukcy did too, the fifty sliding from Sam to Natasha, the hundred from Bruce to Jane, and the wad of cash from Tony to Clint who smirked like the cat who got the cream all night long. At first she was slightly offended that Jane had gambled on her, but she smiled and kissed her friend's cheek when she split the winnings with her. 

Out of the shower and hunting for some sweats and her brothers old high school jersey, which still fit her six years since his graduation because he was and always had been a beefcake. She found them, pulled them on and braided her hair quickly, before leaving her room in search of something mindless to watch. 

She would have happily spent the rest of the day curled up on her sofa watching Jerry Springer, and only venturing out of her suite to find food from the communal kitchen. Only, her plans were squashed by one Bucky Barnes sprawled across her sofa.  
"Morning, doll" he smirked, but made no move to sit up. 

"How did you get in here?" She asked and walked behind the sofa, planning to sit on the armchair, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her over the back. She fell/rolled over it with a small squeal, and landed so she was laid with her legs between his and their chests touching. 

"Convinced JARVIS" he shrugged, like it was no big deal that he was able to coerce the AI. "Why'd you leave?" He nuzzled her neck and ran his hands up and down her sides, eventually bring his right hand to cup her breast, and squeezing her butt with his left. 

Darcy sighed, content, he really knew how to use his hands. 

"I actually do have to work, you know," she smiled and looked down at him. 

"I'm sure Jane wouldn't mind if took some time off" he started placing open mouthed kisses along her neck and collar bone, which was exactly how it started last time. 

"No, she wouldn't, but without me, she never takes time off, and Thor gets antsy when he doesn't see her, and her work gets sloppy and it's not only Jane who I'm working for now" Darcy explained and sat up, straddling him.

"Tony finally pulled you over to the dark side, huh?" He laughed and sat up with her, their faces only inches apart and his hands on her hips. 

"Him and Bruce. I'm now officially the owner of the Sciene Triplets."

He laughed and buried his face in the crook of her neck again, licking a wide column up the side to that spot just behind her ear that he'd had lots of fun finding. Darcy pulled his face away from her neck and presses their lips together.

"Let me take you out" he murmured between kisses, his hands holding her hips tighter as they became more heated, and both their arousals grew.

"Okay, Sergeant, what do you have in mind for our first date? Because Tony's party does not count" she laughed as her hands found their way under his t-shirt to feel his tight abs. Bucky must have had the same idea because his hands wound up under Darcy's shirt, cupping her bra-less breasts. 

"I'm gonna take you to Coney Island" her shirt came off. "Gonna win you a massive bear like the cheesy folks on TV" his shirt came off. "Then we're going dancing. Proper dancing, like I've been showing you, not that grinding stuff people do nowadays." 

"Sounds great, when do we leave?" She was making short work of his belt and zip, had them undone and his jeans pulled down in record time, when JARVIS spoke. 

"Sergeant Barnes, there has been a call to Assemble by Captain Rogers, it appears that Attuma is flooding the subway again."

They both sighed, and Bucky thanked JARVIS. 

"Hey, as soon as we've got fish face where he belongs, we're finishing this, okay?" He pressed a chaste kiss to her lips before pulling his shirt back on. Even with his jeans done up, his bulge was very clear. Darcy smirked, Clint would give him hell about that. 

Darcy nodded and pulled her own top on, giving him another quick kiss. "One for the road" she winked before ushering him out of her door. He smiled and ran towards the barracks to suit up and save the day. 

Darcy left, too, just as soon as she'd thrown on a bra, some shoes, and grabbed her phone. She rushed in the opposite direction to the barracks, towards the elevator and up to the offices. 

"Darcy!" Pepper said as she rushed in. This had become a bit of a tradition since Jane and Darcy moved to New York. Whenever anything happened, be it something as small as a rogue mutant kid using his powers to con people, or something huge like Dr Doom threatening to blow up the moon, Darcy, Pepper and Jane holed up in Pepper's office and watched the live feed of their friends fighting to save the world. Often, when it was only a small issue (like the mutant kid), there wasn't any coverage, so JARVIS relayed all information he could get from Tony's suit back to them. 

"How's it going?" Darcy asked, nodding to the screen on the wall and sat next to Jane on Pepper's sofa. 

"Do you know who Attuma is?" Pepper asked Darcy, who nodded in return. She'd heard all about Attuma and his legion of Atlantians. "Well," Pepper continued, "he's threatening to flood the city. The Subway's already underwater, but Clint and Natasha were able to get everyone out. He's strong, so Tony, Thor and Bruce are hitting him hard while Steve and Rhodey work on battling his minions. Clint and Natasha are on their way to help them now." 

"What about Bucky? And Sam? Where the hell are they?"  Darcy asked as she saw Steve take a pretty bad hit from an Atlantian. He was on the floor for a few moments, before Natasha helped him up and he was back into the fight again. 

"Sam's picking up Wanda from downtown, and Bucky should be on his way." 

Darcy relaxed a little, it looked like they were handling it, and with the three others on the way, it should be easy. She just wished that Vision wasn't out helping the Guardians, with him they could have the whole thing wrapped up before lunch. 

They spent the rest of the battle/flood in Pepper's office. It definitely wasn't a ten on the Disaster Scale, but no one got back to the tower until late afternoon. Wanda and Sam arrived just before Bucky did, and while Falcon and the Winter Soldier helped take out the fishy foot soldiers, Wanda worked her magic on Attuma and made him lose his shit. They stayed behind to start help with clean up and rescue the few civilians who'd been caught in wreckage. Then there weretthe leeches -sorry, reporters- who wouldn't stop hassling them for a quote. Natasha smiled and gave something curt and polite, while Steve made an inspirational speech about patriotism and team work. Clint made sushi jokes, Wanda avoided the cameras, Sam blushed and Rhodey followed with whatever crap Tony said. Bruce had disappeared to calm down almost as soon as Attuma was knocked out, so he was able to avoid Christine Everheart and her gaggle of camera crew. 

Darcy had to admit that Bucky's response was by far her favourite, even if she was a little biased. He growled at the camera and gave Miss I-Slept-With-Tony-Stark-To-Further-My-Career his best Winter Soldier stare. 

As soon as JARVIS told them that the team were on their way back, Darcy and Jane left Pepper's office. Jane went to the labs, of course, to wait for Thor. If she were anywhere else when he got back he'd worry. 

Darcy wasn't sure where to go. She could for back to her room, grab some rocky road from the communal kitchen on the way and see whether he came to find her. Or she could wait at the elevator for him, or in his room. But then again, did he want to see her? Sure, he'd spoke about taking her out and having a proper date, and finishing what they'd started before he got called away, but that was this morning when he was horny and had her topless above him. 

She decide that the communal area was a good bet. It was near the residential area, so it could look like she'd been waiting for him and it wouldn't look like she'd been avoiding him. And if he didn't want to see her, then it didn't matter, because she could simply be in there watching TV, not waiting for him. Nope. Definitely not waiting for him. 

When Steve came up, Darcy's heart was in her throat, because Bucky wasn't with him and Steve was sporting an impressive shiner. Wanda came up next, followed by Sam, Bruce, Clint and Natasha. They all gave Darcy polite smiles, Clint leaving over the couch to give her a hug and steal some of her ice cream from behind her back. She didn't mind; he'd just risked his life, she could sacrifice a mouthful of Ben and Jerry's. 

Tony and Rhodey used the landing pad upstairs, so at least she was saved from Tony's comments about Bucky. 

He came up ten minutes after everyone else, head hanging low and filthy. There was blood (the Atlantian's, considering it was thick and blue), dirt and dust caked over him. She hadn't seen him this bad since, well, since Steve and Sam brought him in. She watched him leave the elevator and lean against it's now closed doors. He didn't look up, so he didn't see her sat there watching him. 

"JARVIS? Can you tell me where Darcy is?" Bucky asked and ran a hand through his hair. Darcy smiled and sat up a little straighter. He did want to see her. 

"Miss Lewis is currently in the communal living room, Sergeant Barnes. If you would just look to your left" JARVIS said as Bucky's head shot up and their eyes met. 

"Darcy" he sighed and started towards her at the same time as she smiled meekly and said "Hey."

"God, I missed you" he said, and before she knew it his arms were around her and he was holding her tight against him. 

"It was only about eight hours ago that I last  saw you" she chuckled and kissed his cheek, stroking a hand through his hair. 

"Doesn't matter" he mumbled and pressed his lips to hers, savouring the feel of her, trying his hardest to commit every detail of how she felt to memory. "I nearly died today, Darce, those punk ass mermaids nearly got me."

"But you didn't" she said and looked him straight in the eye, trying to tell him everything that she couldn't put into words. She couldn't tell him that she loved him, not yet, not when she wasn't even sure what they were. She couldn't tell him that she thinks he could be it, because it was way too early in their relationship for that. But just because they hadn't really had a proper date and the first time they met, he held a knife to her throat, it didn't mean that she didn't feel it. 

"No, I didn't" he smirked and kissed her, a lot more passionately and hot this time. "But I think that if we don't finish what we started earlier, you might just kill me."

Darcy smirked and walked towards Residential, making a 'come hither' motion with her fingers as she left. Bucky followed slowly, enjoying the view as she lead the way. Hate to see you go, love to watch you leave. Darcy turned a corner and giggled, the sound traveling back to Bucky and going straight to his groin. He rounded the corner but Darcy was no where to be seen; there was only a trail of clothes leading to his door at the end of the hallway. Her shoes, shirt, sweats and then her bra. Hung on the door handle was her underwear; her lacy, red, thong. 

"Jesus, woman, you really are going to kill me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DARCY'S SMOKING HOT RED DRESS! 
> 
> http://www.polyvore.com/darcy_lewis_tonys_birthday/set?id=172038735


	9. A Weekend Away #2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of A Weekend Away
> 
> I'd promised smut but I couldn't fit it in this part...
> 
> ...I promise it'll be in part three!

Darcy was shook awake by Bucky when they landed. He still hadn't told her where they would be spending the weekend, and she'd been incredibly disappointed when the outside of the plane was a simple air strip. There had been nothing that could help her figure out where they were, like a sign in a recognisable language or a local with an accent. Not even any palm trees or mountains that might give her a clue. She'd hoped that she'd be able to work out at least a rough area based on the time they landed and how long it took to get there, but after three months working for Pepper with next to no time off, she'd been exhausted and fallen asleep almost instantly. 

No, the runway here was just like the one they'd left from in upstate New York.

At least it was sunny, she thought and plucked her sunglasses from the V of her white cotton t-shirt. She'd wished that Bucky had told her that they'd be going somewhere hot because she'd have worn shorts instead of her black jeans. 

"So, you gonna tell me where we are?" She questioned when they were seated in the back of a chauffeured car and were being driven away from the airstrip. 

James smiled and shook his head before wrapping his hand around hers and letting their entwined hands rest on the seat between them. "I'll let you work it out for yourself." 

She did work it out, eventually, when they hit a highway and the signs were all in French. 

"We're in France?" She gasped when she noticed the language, turning to Bucky with wide eyes and a bright smile. Honestly, she hadn’t expected to leave the continent…

"En route to Paris, doll" he smirked at her little squeal of joy. They had at least another hour before getting to the city and the hotel that Pepper had recommended. Darcy kept up a steady stream of, well not really conversation, but excited babbles about everything she'd always wanted to do and see in Paris.

Eventually the car pulled up in front of their hotel, the Shangri-La. Pepper had assured him that it was a beautiful hotel, and the suite she'd insisted on booking had the best view in the city. Two rooms, of course.

"This place is amazing!" Darcy said in awe of the gold, emerald and marble lobby. She still held tightly onto his hand, and had to fight back a giggle when the concierge called them Mr and Mrs Barnes. Bucky blushed. 

A bell boy showed them to their suite, which in few words (Darcy's words) was fucking A. Bucky had to agree. Pepper had taste; it was a well-known fact.

"The Terrace Eiffel Tower View suite!" The bell boy exclaimed in a heavy French accent as he swept them into the room, a cart with their bags following soon after. "Here is your lounge area, complete with international television and free international calls to landlines" he motioned to the flat screen and telephone respectively, and then explained how to call for room service. The room was warm and inviting in shades of gold, white and ecru; obviously very high class, with two little couches around a coffee table. There was a large fire place, and against one wall was a small desk with a high backed chair. A flat screen TV was mounted on the wall, above the fireplace. A small bar, complete with stools, was stocked full of every drink imaginable. 

"Over here is access to your private terrace, with the view of La Siene et la Tour Eiffel." The bell boy pulled open the curtains to reveal floor to ceiling windows and a set of doors that led to the terrace outside. The view was breath-taking. 

"In here is your bedroom, which leads to an en-suite bathroom with a deep Jacuzzi tub and shower" he opened a door to the right of the room, "the mini bar will be restocked every day, or on request. Is there anything else that I can help you with?" 

Darcy was still staring out the windows, taking in the city for all its beauty. Bucky smiled at the bell boy, shaking his head 'no'. 

"Very well, Mr Barnes" he said and started to leave, before Bucky remembered something. 

"Wait, um, there's supposed to be another room?" He said to the man, who smiled and nodded, walking to a plain white door next to the entrance. 

"I apologize, Mr Barnes, I'd assumed that you were waiting on another guest, forgive my asking but, you two are not a couple?" 

"No, no, we're not together" Bucky confirmed and glanced over his shoulder at the girl tracing the patterns on one of the couches. Quietly he added, "Not yet." 

"I see" the bell boy smiled and gave him a quick tour of his connecting room. The door between his room and her suite could be locked from both sides, and his bathroom was the same as Darcy's, just a tad smaller. 

"Well if that's everything, Mr Barnes, I will be going" he nodded and made to leave. Bucky had already slipped him a generous tip. Low enough so that Darcy couldn't hear, he said "good luck with the lady" before leaving. 

"Darce?" He asked, worried because this was the longest she'd ever been silent around him, unless she was sleeping. (Even then she was always making soft noises whilst she dreamt; sometimes he would even be able to hear her have an entire one sided conversation).

"I'm fine" she said, and was still staring out the windows. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was smiling. "It's just a little overwhelming, you know? It's all so beautiful." 

"Just relax, okay?" He smiled, pulling her down to sit with him on one of the couches. "Run yourself a nice hot bath, order room service or raid the mini bar, or both. Tomorrow I'm taking you out." 

"Sounds great, Buck" she smiled, and kissed his cheek. He had to call on years (decades) of training and experience to keep his blush down. "You’re only next door, right?" 

"Yeah, through that door" he nodded towards his room. 

"Great, that's good." 

It was more than good. While Darcy had a bath he went through their rooms more thoroughly than he'd been able to while the bell boy was there. He swept for bugs; highly unlikely because no one but Pepper knew where they were going, but he had to make sure. Then he made a mental note of all the exits (the door which they entered through and one in his room, although they could leave through the terrace if forced), and started hiding weapons. 

Darcy had questioned his extra bag at first, wondering why he needed a suit case and a big duffle bag for only a few days. When he gave her a look that was meant to mean 'drop it', he thinks she worked out what was in it. She didn't mention it again. 

He hid a handgun taped under the coffee table, another taped under the mini bar, one in Darcy's bedside cabinet, two in his, and one in the tank behind the toilet (the duffle bag still had two rifles and more handguns inside, as well as extra ammunition, in case they had to go on the run and he couldn't collect the others. He'd put the bag under his bed). Yes, it was overboard, but he wasn't taking any risks. He had considered hiding a few knives around, but decided against it in the end. 

He hadn't gotten a good look at Darcy's room until he put the gun in there. It was in the same colours as the lounge; gold, white and ecru. The bed was king-size with crisp white sheets and a pale gold comforter. There was a creamy sofa at the foot of it, with a small hardwood coffee table with a vase of yellow roses. A large mirror was above the bed, and a TV facing it. There were even two arm chairs placed next to the window.

It was by the fanciest place he'd ever been in, and felt like he'd ruin everything just by touching it. To avoid such things happening, he took a seat in one of the low wicker chairs on the terrace and waited for Darcy to finish her bath. 

She came out in a pair of sweats, fuzzy socks and an oversized Hulk t-shirt and sat next to him. They had been watching the city in silence for almost an hour before he felt the prickles on the back of neck that told him he was being watched. 

"See something you like?" He asked her with a smirk. Hope bloomed in chest when he saw the telling blush cover her cheeks. So, she wasn't as immune to his charm as she'd like think. That's interesting. 

"I've always wanted to see the view from up there" she nodded at the Eiffel Tower, still blushing and ran a hand through her hair. "Can we go?"

"That's actually what I had planned for tomorrow" he laughed, "remember that time Natasha was going on about a mission she'd done in Paris with Clint?"

Darcy nodded yes. 

"I remember you saying how you've always wanted to see the city, just with fewer guns and hiding in storm drains."

She eyed him for a few seconds before smiling. "How did you get Pepper to agree to this, exactly?"

"She was going to give you the time off, anyway. You work too hard."

"I like feeling useful" Darcy shrugged and stared out at the skyline. "I mean, living with who I do, working for who I do, it's not hard to feel a little inferior. I guess that's why I get along with Clint so well, he gets it."

"What do you mean?" Darcy didn't open up very often, so Bucky wasn't about to let this opportunity slide. If she was sharing, he was going to listen and get as much information as he could out of her. Dammit, Barnes. That sounded like a mission statement. This is Darcy. She's not your mission. 

"Well everyone's a hero, you know? Even without the suit, Tony's still a genius. Bruce is too, when he's not green. Then there's Steve with his serum and Thor is an actual God. Yeah, Pepper isn't any of those, but she's a badass CEO who survived the whole Extremis thing, and manages to wrangle Tony. Then there's you, with all the shit HYDRA did and how you can kick ass with your eyes closed and your arms tied behind your back!" 

"What about Natasha? And Clint isn't exactly lacking" Bucky asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"No, he's awesome, but he's hasn't got what everyone else has. He doesn't have a super serum, or a dodgy mock-up of one. He doesn't have a metal suit and he's not Asgardian. Natasha is different too. The red room did some shit to her that could rival what happened to you. Clint and I, we're ordinary. He's got his skills with a bow, and I've got my way of forcing Jane to eat and my Taser, but we don't spend one night a month raiding Tony's liquor cabinet for nothing."

"You think he's not as good everyone else?"

"No, he doesn't think that he's as good as everyone else" Darcy smirked. "I think he's awesome. Really, if we were to rank, I'd have him at the top of my list. He worked for it you know? I'm not saying Steve's worse for getting the serum and stuff, but Clint survived the circus, he survived the army and the shit his brother gave him without the help of magic or science. He practically taught himself how to use a bow, did you know that? He needed something so that the circus would keep him, so he worked under this Trick Shot guy and it nearly killed him.”

"I never thought about it that way" Bucky admitted, a little embarrassed. It was true, he'd long ago written Clint off, just as plenty of other's had. He recognised that the guy was probably the best shot this side of the moon, and that he could hold his own against Natasha. Apart from that, Clint had always been the goofball and Bucky realised that he'd seen the pranks and Robin Hood jokes before he saw the man. 

"Well, as much as I'd love to spend the entire night talking to you about Clint, I'm going to hit the hay" she stood from the chair and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Also, if this weekend is a plan to woo me, you've gotten off to a very good start, but you're an idiot." 

She walked back inside, leaving Bucky with his mouth hanging open and dozens of conflicting thoughts in his head. 

He was in deep. Real deep.


	10. Hot Chocolate

Darcy liked to think that she was a perfectly modern woman. After all, no one knew pop culture like she did and if you ever found yourself in need of a restaurant recommendation, Darcy, her smartphone and yelp app were likely to be found on the 46th floor of Stark Tower in Lab B, force feeding scientists pop tarts and coffee. As modern as she was, she wasn't stupid. She knew that sometimes old fashioned was best; like swimwear. Her favourite and most supportive bikini was a retro high-waist one, which was definitely not (it _so_ was) a replica of Rachel McAdam's from The Notebook.

Despite living with two ancient men (three if you count Thor), everyone in the Tower was pretty modern, too. E

ven Steve caught up fairly well, but still stared wide eyed at microwave meals and 3D printers every now and then. One modern thing that Darcy hated was hot chocolate. She couldn't stand the bitter taste of the powered mixes, no matter how much cream she added. It would be her luck that everyone she knew only ever made it that way, and when she'd tried getting Steve to make it her way, he'd set off the fire alarm. That day a new rule was made: Steve isn't allowed to touch the stove. It was the last straw after a multitude of other kitchen based mishaps courtesy of one Mr Steve Rogers. That man could burn water with no heat.

Darcy had all but given up on finding someone who could make a decent cup of hot chocolate - (because she was also banned from using the stove after nearly poisoning Clint, and there was no way to get around it because JARVIS would cut off the power to the kitchen whenever she tried) - when she heard a soft hum coming from the kitchen area.

It was late; really late. Like, we're-closer-to-sunrise-than-sunset late. She'd been having trouble sleeping, so had ventured out for a glass of milk and maybe a chunk of Bruce's nice foreign chocolate that he kept on the highest shelf because Tony was too short to reach it. She was also too short to reach it, but she wasn't above scaling the cabinets.

She didn't bother trying to be quiet. When you live with The Avengers you give up on sneaking up on people because they know that you're there before you do. Darcy suspected that Tony didn't actually have reflexes as good as Natasha, and that he had an earpiece in all the time and JARVIS would tell him who was coming up behind him. When asked, however, JARVIS simply replied with "No comment, Miss Lewis".

Not answering kind of answered it for him.

"Little late for a stroll don't you think, doll?"

Darcy had only just rounded into the kitchen when he spoke, making her jump. She would never admit that she squealed with shock.

And it wasn't the shock of him talking, she'd expected that, it was the shock of Bucky Barnes stirring something on the stove, wearing her apron. Besides the apron he had a white t-shirt and sweats dangerously low on his hips, and Darcy had to try really hard to keep her eyes above his waist. He still hadn't cut his hair, she noticed, but it wasn't as greasy as when he came in a few months ago and that beard had gone... Oh my God he shaved. She'd seen photos of him in his forties pantie dropping army uniform, then in the blue pea coat of sex and in the black leather of death, but in normal clothes, with a clean face and his hair in a freaking bun, she realized that 'hot' was an understatement when it came to this man.

"Can't sleep, need chocolate" she managed to say without sounding as turned on as she was because those arms were doing things for her. She’d crushed on the guy, from a distance, for ages and she was starting to feel a little stalkery. Timing her lunch break to coincide with him getting out of the gym? Yeah, creepy.

She grabbed a high stool from the breakfast bar and dragged it to the cupboards before climbing up and grabbing Bruce's stash.

"What are you making?" She asked as she clambered down, a little out of breath, and swung the stool back into its place. She took a seat at the bar and began to feast on the chocolate, downright moaning at its bitter, Belgium goodness.

"Hot cocoa, want some?" He offered and grabbed two mugs from the cupboard at her sigh of " _God yes_ ".

The lights were off in the kitchen; it was only the small light from the bulbs on the stove and the little moonlight that filtered in illuminating the room. The darkness made his face even more shadowed and angled than usual; his cheekbones sharper and the muscles in his arms more defined.

A steaming mug was placed in front of her, which she gratefully accepted and started to sip. He took a seat across from her and sipped at his own mug.

"This is _amazing_ " she moaned and drank a little deeper, realising that he'd added whipped cream and cinnamon to the top, and she likely had a cream mustache but she didn’t care. This was the first cup of decent hot chocolate she’d had since London, she was going to damn well savor it.

"My grandma used to make it like this, with proper chocolate melted and mixed with milk" she said at his raised brow and smiled, wiping at her top lip to make sure there was no cream. "You're the first person in this damned tower who makes it right."

"It was my Ma who taught me" he said after a few silent moments, "she said it was the only thing I could make and not cock up."

"She sounds like a great woman."

"She was."

They sat in silence again, both quietly drinking their drinks while the sky became lighter.

"What did you mean? About me being the only person to make it right?" He asked and started to clear up their mugs and the saucepan.

"Everyone else uses the packet stuff, and that's just bitter and gross" she shrugged and started to drag the stool back over to the cabinets in an effort to make it seem like she'd never touched Bruce's stash. "I asked Steve how he used to make it, and he knows how, but he can't cook for toffee" she laughed and stopped abruptly as a cool metal hand wrapped around her wrist. She let go of the chair and he took the chocolate off her, only having to stand on his tip toes to reach the absurdly high shelf. Tall people, ugh.

"Yeah I know what you mean, Natasha made me instant cocoa when I first got here and I swear it was like drinking battery acid" he chuckled and shook his head, which meant that a few stray hairs fell out of his bun. Damn, that was hot.

"She's the worse for it! She uses store bought cake mixtures and everything!"

"I can't remember the last time I had cake" he said, quieter this time and a little haunted, "it must have been before the war, maybe Steve's birthday?"

"I'll make you one, if you want. Can't say I'm any good but it's got to be better than the rubbery 'just add water' stuff Natasha makes" she said and at his smile, realised that it was a bad idea.

"Actually no, I won't make you one because I can't cook for shit. I'll take you to this little dessert bar in Queens, I swear it'll be the best cake you've ever tasted!"

He laughed then, a full, out loud belly laugh that had her heart swelling and the corners of her mouth tugging up in response. "

Sounds good, doll, it's a date" he winked and pecked her cheek before leaving the kitchen.

Darcy wasn’t sure what had just happened, but it was nearing three am and she should probably sleep. If she really had just landed herself a date with a smoking hot assassin with a metal arm, then looking like the walking dead wouldn't be good.

The next morning it was apparent that she hadn't imagined it all, as there he was, waiting outside the labs as she left for her lunch break. "So where's this dessert bar?" Darcy laughed and hooked her arm through his, pulling him towards the elevator and waxing poetic about chocolate fudge brownies and cheesecakes.

Her raging crush on him only grew. First to fondness, and then to love, and then to something else, something more than love. If she ever doubted his feelings, all ill thoughts were washed away as he proposed to her in the same dessert bar three years later, with a ring on top of a lemon slice.


	11. Too Much Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know you've had too many mugs of coffee when:  
> -You can ski uphill  
> -You haven't blinked since the last lunar eclipse  
> -You get a speeding ticket even when you're parked  
> -You can grind your coffee beans in your mouth  
> -You answer the door before people knock  
> -You can take a picture of yourself from ten feet away without using the timer  
> -You have to watch videos in fast-forward  
> -You're the employee of the month at the local coffeehouse and you don't even work there any more
> 
> Or, in which Darcy realises that she really does need to stop buying them all coffee from the Starbucks down the road because there's a perfectly good coffee maker in the kitchen that should be used for more than early morning hangover cures. Her solution? Give them all a reason to use it.

_Twelve_ mugs. She'd just bought twelve coffee mugs. She didn't think that she even had twelve mugs in all of her kitchen cupboards!

Although in her defence, she had no need for more than two mugs in her kitchen. She had hers (a gift from Jane way back from New Mexico - it was blue with little yellow stars, the type of stars you draw on MS Paint), and she had her spare one ( a plain white one she'd picked up for fifty pence in London). The only thing she needed lots of, apparently, were wine glasses, and she definitely had plenty of those.

* * *

She needed help, and her list of people she could turn to was dwindling quick.

Barton was out of the question. She was planning on a glitter bomb go off when the box was opened. Where the sharpshooter would know how to set up a glitter bomb, she couldn't miss the opportunity to get him covered in pink sparkles. If he was in on it, she wouldn't be able to get him.

Tony would likely blow the mugs to Timbuktu if he got his hands on the release mechanism, so he wasn't an option.

She actually wanted to surprise Jane and Natasha, for being good friends, so she couldn't tell them about her plans.

She wasn't sure that Steve would know how to set up something like she wanted, and Coulson wouldn't approve of the glitter attack. Everyone else (Sam, Pepper, Thor and James) was out of the building for the next week on various missions, or in Pepper's case, charity balls.

And then she remembered Big Green in the lab next door.

"Of course I could make ten mini glitter bombs that would go boom when a box opens" he said and looked up at her from his machine...thing.

"Great!" Darcy clapped and handed him the boxes, already filled with the mugs. She only needs ten glitter bombs. The other two of the twelve mugs were for herself and Bruce. She wasn't about to glitter herself, and she was sure Bruce wouldn't want to self-sparkle either.

"Why you would ask me to is another matter" he fixed her with a pointed look and raised an eyebrow.

She worried at her bottom lip, deciding that Bruce was trust worthy enough to tell her plan. And she didn't want him to Hulk-out if a glitter bomb caught him by surprise.

She told him about the mugs; about how they were gifts for everyone for being the amazingest ("yes, I'm sure that it's a word, Bruce!") friends an intern could ask for. Not only that, but they'd saved her ass more than a few times when HYDRA or AIM or Magneto or Doom (sometimes all four at once) had attacked her wanting information.

He smiled slightly and shook his head. "Sure, Darce" she beamed at him and skipped away.

"The mugs are in the boxes already, I'll give you yours at the same time as everyone else!" She called as she left his lab to try and find Jane and coax her out of a science bender.

* * *

 

Bruce delivered the boxes to her four hours later. She was asking JARVIS for everyone's schedules, so she could plan her own deliveries. She had to make sure that they opened their boxes alone, and all at the same time. Either that or so they were far away from each other so they couldn't warn others.

She told Bruce everything she knew of the team's plans. It had to be today as well, because it was the one night a month Coulson spent with them when not on business. It was his way of apologising for the whole 'dying' thing.

"I could set the boxes on a timer. That way, when everyone is gathered at dinner, we can hand them out and they'll go off at the same time."

"Brucie you are a genius!" She squealed with delight and started making plans for what she would cook. A home cooked meal was the only thing that ever made them all come out of whatever corner/shadow/nest/lab/hole they'd been spending the day in.

* * *

 

Darcy had acquired the 'help' of Dum-E to set the table. It was a giant round one that Tony had built to accommodate the whole gang whenever they all got together.

Darcy sat down, and next to her was Jane. Then, going from Jane was Thor, Sam, Cap, Bucky, Natasha, Clint, Phil, Pepper, Tony and Bruce.

"Darcy, this is delicious!" Steve hummed and smiled brightly at her, taking another mouthful of the lasagne she'd spent three hours making. It never usually took that long, but then, she never usually made it for twelve people at a time.

"Glad you like it, Cap" she smiled back and nudged Bruce lightly under the table. He took the hint and stood from the table. Everyone sent curious glances his way, and grew even more confused when he re-entered the room carrying ten silver boxes with each of their names written in Darcy's loopy cursive.

"I, um, got you all something. To say thank you." Bruce handed them out while Darcy smiled at her friend's curious glances.

"Three...Two...One..." Bruce whispered under his breath before ducking under the table and pulling Darcy down with him.

As expected, a large bang happened, and then a mix of scared screams (Jane), hearty laughter (Thor), swearing (Clint, Tony, Natasha) and grumbles (Steve, Bucky, Sam) rang out. Phil was sat still, eyes wide and giving the spot that Darcy had occupied his 'I should be disappointed but I'm actually amused and I'm trying not laugh' face. She thought that she might have broken Pepper when she didn't hear anything from her, but then she remembered who she was talking about. Pepper Potts would not be broken by glitter. A quick glance above the table showed Darcy that Pepper was silently laughing at the horrified looks on everyone faces, and trying her hardest to shake pink glitter out of her hair.

"Lewis, this is so on!" Clint shouted and leaped onto the table, kicking plates and cups out of the way as he stalked towards her. "

Sorry, Hawkguy, gotta dash!" She laughed and ran out of the room, expecting him to follow.

He didn't, so she spent the rest of the evening hiding in her room.

It was only later when she asked JARVIS to pull up the footage that she saw he'd slipped on pasta and face planted into the table.

* * *

 

The next morning Darcy walked to the kitchen with her back to the wall. She was hyperaware of her surroundings, waiting for Clint to make his move.

She managed to make it to the kitchen in one piece and un-pranked. Her new mug ('Wanted: Ipod') was in the cupboard by itself, which meant that everyone was already up and drinking coffee.

The first sign of disaster was when the coffee machine spurted out mud.

The second was the sound of ten people taking a drink at once.

The third was all her friends (sans Bruce) stood behind her, drinking from their mugs.

Natasha had her 'Ask me about Budapest' mug in her hand, with an eyebrow raised and a challenging smirk. Tony and his 'I'm Batman' mug glared at her. Pepper's 'I apologise on behalf of Mr Stark' mug was on the counter, while she stood behind it, looking perfect even in her robe. Sam and Cap with their matching 'On your left' mugs were giving her their best impartial face, something she's sure they learnt from Coulson and his 'Not Dead' mug, which was actually a Sherlock one, but she couldn't resist. Then there was Jane with Thor's arm around her, holding her 'I grazed him' mug, and her boyfriend and his mug (actually a tankard) that said 'ANOTHER!'.

The last two in line didn't look nearly as annoyed as everyone else. In fact, they were smirking. Clint Barton and his 'Aww, coffee' mug winked at her as Bucky Barnes launched a bucket of pink glitter towards her.

"Barnes!" She roared and turned on him, growling as he and Clint laughed. "I expected that from douche over there! Not you, you're mug's nice!" It was true, his was a nice one. It was printed with an old photo of him and Steve from before the war; Steve was still skinny, it was rather cute.

"The mug's lovely, doll" he laughed, clapping Clint on the back. Everyone left then, apparently done with their morning now that Darcy was more sparkly than a disco ball. "What isn't nice is pulling glitter from between the plates in my arm all night."

"Sorry, soldier!" She sang and backed away as he stalked towards her, another bucket of glitter appearing from God knows where, "All's fair in love and war!"

"You're going to have to pay, Lewis" he said, backing her into a corner and waving the bucket menacingly, "So, it's the bucket, or dinner."

"Dinner?"

"Yeah, you can make it up to me by letting me take you out to dinner" he winked and raised the bucket higher, holding it above her head. "Which will it be?"

Her answer was obvious.

"Put the bucket down, pick me up at seven" Darcy smirked and went to walk out the kitchen.

He dropped the glitter on her anyway. At her shout of horror, he shrugged and ran away, high fiving Clint as he left.

"All's fair in love and war!" He called back, still laughing.


	12. The One in White

Not being sure where you are when you wake up is never a good thing. It's even worse when the morning you wake up with no memory of the night before is your wedding day. 

"Shit." 

James wasn't really sure which inebriated Avenger the curse came from, but he silently thanked whoever it was for voicing his thoughts. 

"Clint?" Steve grumbled and rolled off of the vanity that he'd been sprawled on and hit the ground with a thud. "How hungover are you right now?" 

"I have a spider tattooed on my testicle!" Clint screamed and shot out of the bathtub. He narrowly missed hitting his head on the showerhead. James kind of wished that he had. 

"What type of spider?" Asked a groggy Bruce who was walking up due to the noise. He had somehow managed to claim one of the two double beds as his own. James was in the other one, mildly surprise that he hadn't woken up next to a naked Stark. Again. (Nobody talks about the great fuck up that was Tokyo. Nobody.)

Their motel room was awful, and he had no idea where it actually was. There was no door or wall separating the bedroom to the bathroom, so he could see a lot more of Clint than he wanted to. Someone should have probably told him that no matter how hard you scrub, tattoos can't be removed with soap and water.

"I don't know!" Clint screeched, sending Bruce an exasperated glare. 

"Is it a Black Widow?" 

Bruce was instantly hit in the head with a ball of wet toilet paper. He shrugged it off and fell backwards on to the bed. He was snoring in seconds.

"Where's Tony?" Steve asked, glancing around the room. Everyone but Stark was present. Sam was somehow curled up on the windowsill, and even Rhodey had fallen into an alcohol-induced coma at the foot of Bruce's bed. With Clint in the bath, Steve on the vanity and Thor on the table that wouldn't be holding his weight for much longer, the only member of their party missing was Stark. 

Thor mumbled something unintelligible from the table, which creaked with ever shift of his weight. Steve glanced at it worryingly, and James flopped his head back down and yelled into a pillow. 

"Clint needs to drink three gallons of coffee now, so he can sober up and fly that damn quinjet without crashing us into anything and we need to find Tony" he said from behind the pillow. He was sure that it was all just mumbles to anyone else, but Steve understood well enough to remove himself from the vanity and start searching for his jeans. Steve would be the only one to wake up in nothing but a pair of pink pantyhose with his USA flag undies on top. Bucky had a vague memory of him standing on a roof with a towel around his neck screaming 'now I'm a real superhero!'. 

To be fair, the rest of them weren't doing much better in the clothing department; Clint woke naked in the tub, Bruce was naked, Rhodey was in only his boxers, and Sam...was that an elephant on his dick?

Thor was the only on who was fully clothed, surprisingly considering his track record of stripping naked even when sober, never mind drunk. With a quick lift of the covers, yep, Bucky was naked too. 

"Guys, check your phones. Any photos of last night need to be deleted, immediately" James groaned and dug around the bed for his underwear. The last thing he wanted was a repeat of Las Vegas, were Natasha somehow got a hold of all their phones and had the images of semi-naked and fully drunk Avengers all over the tower. 

Sam was the first to scream. ("Dude, it wasn't a scream! It was a manly yell"). The door blew open and crashed against the wall, making them all (but Thor and Bruce who were still snoring) jump and reach for the nearest weapon. The relaxed when Tony walked in with a smirk and coffee. Coffee. 

"Tony Stark, you are a God!" Sam mumbled and hopped -with one leg in his jeans, one leg out- towards the billionaire. Tony winked and passed him a cup. 

"Actually, the God would be me!" Thor grumbled, still half asleep with drool on his face. Hours later, the team would come to a mutual decision to ban Asgardian mead from all future nights out and parties despite it being the only thing that James, Steve and Thor could get drunk on.

"Don't worry big guy, no one's taking Mjolnir off you just yet" Tony patted him on the head and placed the rest of the coffees on the table next to Thor. 

"No!" Steve shouted, but it was too late; the coffees were placed and the extra weight was all that the table needed to collapse. Thor didn't flinch, mearly reached for a coffee that hadn't spilt everywhere, and curled up on his new bed of splintered wood.

"I have good news and bad news" Clint said from the bathroom, now clothed and no longer scrubbing his testicle. 

James groaned because Darcy was going to kill him. Well, she'd probably marry him first. Then she'd kill him and collect whatever money spouses get when their partner dies in action. 

"The good news is that I can totally fly the quinjet back to New York" he said, throwing items of clothing at everyone. James took that as his cue to get dressed. He was getting married today, clothing was sort of required (although he was sure Darcy would let object too much if they spent most of the day naked). 

"The bad?" James asked, not entirely sure if he wanted to know. 

"I don't know where the quinjet is."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

"Guys, we gotta do it" Rhodey said and kicked Bruce to get his ass out of bed. 

"No." Said Tony, Clint and James.

"We are not doing that, we can find it." Clint finished, looking mildly horrified at Rhodey's suggestion.

"Buck, the wedding is in five hours" Steve said, smiling apologetically, and dialing someone's number, "we don't even know where we are, we can't waste time searching for a missing quinjet when it's most likely invisible." 

Clint looked even more scared, Tony groaned and Sam was giggling. 

"Hey, Nat?" Steve said, biting his lip and glancing nervously around, "yes I know you have to get ready, too. No, I don't know how long it takes to get into a wedding dress. I did not need to know that!" Steve was very red and his eyes were blown. He swallowed and handed the phone to James. 

"Natasha?" He said anxiously. 

"James Buchanan Barnes you are not stealing my bridesmaid!" Darcy shouted down the phone and he winced. 

"Hey! I voted against calling Nat, it was Steve!" He defended, motioning for everyone to get the fuck out. 

"Where are you?" She asked, softer this time, as Steve and Sam propped Thor up and carried him out. 

"We're not too sure." 

"Dammit, Barnes!" Darcy sighed, and he imagined her rubbing her temples and glaring at the phone. 

"You better get your cute butt back to the tower, James, I kinda sorta can't get married without you" she whispered. Tears pricked at his eyes, and no doubt hers too. The last time she'd used that tone with him she was ripping him a new one about getting shot. She wasn't being quiet so no one heard her, she was just emotional. 

"I promise, Doll" he stood and pulled some pants on, regardless on whether they were his or not, "I'll be there."

"Natasha's on her way to pick you idiots up, she says she'll be there in half an hour, you bridesmaid poacher" Darcy sniffed. 

"No worries, Darce, you'll have her back soon, and I'll make it up to you tonight."

"Damn straight, soldier!" 

They both laughed and he leant against the wall, sliding down to sit on the floor. Neither of them said anything, but he smiled. He was mere hours away from marrying the love of his life. He never thought, even before he fell, that he'd marry a girl as wonderful as Darcy. 

"Hey, Darce?"

"'Sup, Buck?"

"I love you."

"Love you, too."

"No, Darcy, I-"

"James, no grand proclamations this early in the morning! I'm on the verge of tears as it is! Save it for your vows, okay?" She sniffed again and he chuckled. 

"Okay, I'll see you later."

"I'll be the one in white."

The call ended and he held Steve's phone limp in his hand. He could hear the sounds of the guys talking just outside the door, but he didn't care that Bruce was half naked and cold, or that Sam had puke in his boots. All he cared about was getting home. 

He gathered up all the clothes, mobiles and wallets he could find before leaving the room and launching them at his friends. They scrambled to find the remains of their outfits, and were dressed in time for Natasha. 

"Hey, punk, what did Natasha tell you that had you going all pink and stuff?" James asked when they were strapped in; Clint up front talking to a pissed of Natasha who was in silk pyjamas and had rollers in her hair. 

Steve just shook his head, glancing at Natasha and dragging his lip between his teeth. James smirked, it was nice knowing that no matter how much Steve had changed physically, he was still a useless-with-women-squirt at heart. 

"Hey Nat" James waved lamely at her when she turned around as Clint took control. 

"Don't Hey Nat me!" She snapped and glared at them all, one by one until everyone was squirming in their seats. "First, Pepper's going to have all your asses and I'm going stand their and laugh while she scolds you. Then, I'm going to let Jane free on you. It took a lot to keep her at the Tower and not come with me to shout at you all. Finally, Bridezilla is going to rain down her fury on you and you will all sit there and take it."

James gulped. The threat of Pepper alone was terrifying for everyone on-board. Then there was Jane, who was tiny and often forgot about basic human functions, but that woman had slapped Loki and Thor and lived to talk about it. There was something to be admired in that. 

And Darcy? God, that was a whole tin of scary that he didn't even want to comprehend. 

"So, Natasha, you look lovely" Tony smiled his TV from the back. 

"Can it, Stark."

"Calm down, doll, just wanted to know where we actually were?" 

"New Jersey."

Steve's face blanched and James's stomach dropped. Jersey. I spent my Bachelor's Party in Jersey. He could've sworn that he heard Steve mutter something along the lines of 'forgive me Brooklyn for I have sinned.'

Nat chuckled and soon enough they were landing at Stark Tower. Natasha ushered them all inside for showers and mouthwash, but grabbed James by his ear before he could go inside. 

"Fuck this up and I kill you, okay?" 

"Nat, you gave me the shovel speech when I first asked Darcy out" he rolled his eyes at her, restraining from rubbing his ear where it was sore. "And again when I asked you to come ring shopping with me."

"Well, I'm reminding you" she smirked and made her way inside. He watched her walk away with a smile. Clint was head over heels for her, it was obvious. Did she feel the same way? Bucky hoped so, Natasha deserved some happiness more than any of them. 

"Hey, you were my friend before you were Darcy's, shouldn't you be giving her terrifying threats?"

"I don't need to" she patted his arm and pushed him towards the elevators, "you adore her, Milaya . I don't think you could intentionally hurt her if you tried."

"Thanks, Nat."

 

With his track record of memories, he thought that the ceremony would pass in a haze of sweet words and Darcy's eyes, and that later on he wouldn't be able to tell you a thing about what happened. 

He was wrong. He remembered every detail.

He remembered how Natasha and Sam walked down the aisle first, then Jane and Thor, then Darcy's twin nieces. 

Then it was Darcy and her father, and he could remember each individual swish of her dress. He could feel Steve breathing behind him, could see the flush to Darcy's cheeks and the tears in Pepper's eyes. There was lace work on Darcy's chest and soft waves of white fabric around her legs. She was beautiful. Curled hair, done because she didn't like having her face exposed, and no veil because she didn't like them. Her flowers matched the ones held by the bridesmaids, and the ones in the lapels of the men's jackets. Then there was her face...Smiling brightly and eyes trained on him. Always on him; as they recited their vows, as she kissed him, as they walked out of the church as man and wife.


	13. A Weekend Away #3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The third and final part to the A Weekend Away mini series.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is quite short and very cheesy, but it needed to be finished and posted. 
> 
> I know a lot of people wanted smut but this is the best I could manage without wanting to kill myself from cringing while writing it. 
> 
> So yeah, light (very light) smut and some swearing in this.

He took her to a café for breakfast, Angelina's, which was only a short walk from their hotel. He held her hand on their way, his palm on her back as he led her to a table in the back. They drank the famous Angelina hot chocolate and had pastries which were far too good to be considered healthy. She laughed and brushed the powdered sugar from his lip with her thumb, he fed her bite size bits of his croissant - which he'd ordered in flawless French. 

They took a cab ride to the Eiffel Tower, mingled with the rest of tourists on the green. He amused her with trying to take the classic 'I'm stepping on the Eiffel Tower' picture, which failed. They had lunch in a bistro over looking the Seine, listened to street performers and contemplated visiting the louvre, but decided against it. 

"We'll just have to come back" Darcy had told him. He didn't stop grinning all day. 

They spent the afternoon wandering the streets, finding hidden treasures in the city that TripAdvisor doesn't tell you about. They met a man selling woven bracelets, beautifully detailed and all handmade by his wife. Darcy bought three. 

 

They went back to the hotel, changed and Bucky called another cab. 

He took her to a restaurant with a French name that she couldn't pronounce, but words couldn't describe the food anyway. It was the best pasta she'd ever eaten and the most exquisite wine she'd drank. More importantly it was the best company she could ask for. 

The night was perfect.

 

He kissed her outside the door to her room, slow and tentative like he was testing the waters. She responded in full, and then she was pressed against the door with one of his hands in her hair and other gripping her waist. The door opened, somehow, and she pushed his jacket to the floor. 

Darcy couldn't tell you much about what came next if you asked her, even if she wanted to. Clothes dropped to the plush carpet without ceremony and their bodies fell together onto the bed, a tangle of limbs and hearts and passion that was deserving of Paris, the city of love. 

She woke with his arm over her chest, anchoring her to him. They still had the day in Paris, the rooms were booked until that evening and Stark's jet was coming for them. But that was hours away, judging by the morning light streaming through the windows it was the better part of the day away. 

Darcy didn't want to leave. She didn't want to go home, back to her place at the tower, back to her job with Pepper. She didn't want Thursday night catch up nights, where the group all did something new, something different. It started, as the name suggests, to catch up Steve and Bucky on all things modern. Now it's a time for them all to be together, trying new things together, because Steve and Bucky may have missed most of the last century but the rest of them miss things to, things that make people human. Thursday night was family night and as selfish as it made her, Darcy would give all that up for longer with just her and Bucky.

 

"Hey beautiful" he said, sleep heavy in his gruff morning voice. He ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back from her face and smiled at her. 

"What are we doing?" She whispered, her eyes meeting his for the first time since they'd passed out the night before. Thinking of home, of everyone, made Darcy feel sick. Not because of them, but because of her. Because it's all well and good finding romance in Paris, away from their lives and friends, but what happened when they got back? 

"Guess I should have made my intentions clearer last night" he huffed at her, sitting up against the headboard. She sat up with him, shuffling so the thing white sheet kept her decent. Well, as decent as you can be with the-morning-after hair and a sheet covering the girls. He pulled her into his lap, his hands -one hot, one cold- running up her sides and resting on her waist. 

"Darce, this wasn't supposed to be a one time thing, not for me anyway" he smiled, bashful and looked at her from under his lashes. "And I hope it wasn't for you." 

"God no, Bucky, no!" She rushed to say. "This whole weekend, it's been perfect. Last night was perfect, and trust me, I want it to happen again I just never really thought that you-"

 

"Damn it, Darcy, I was half in love with you the day that I met you, and I've been falling harder day after day" he cut her off smiling. 

"You staying you wanna go steady, Barnes?" She laughed, smile watery from the happy tears he'd made well up in her eyes. 

"You bet" he smirked. "If you'll put up with me." 

"I fucking love you, James Barnes." 

"Love you too, Doll, always."

**Author's Note:**

> Come chill with me on tumblr and we can all be trash together: http://bushy-barnes.tumblr.com/
> 
> I accept prompts, drop me a message


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